Three days before picking up a unanimous-decision win over PRIDE veteran Yuki Sasaki at Fight Festival 26 in Finland this past weekend, Sean Salmon went before the Ohio Athletic Commission and was issued a one-year administrative suspension and $2,500 fine.

The suspension and fine resulted from a Sept. 2 column for MMAjunkie.com in which Salmon, who is author of the site’s “Full-Time Fighter” blog, said he allowed opponent Allan Weickert to tap him out a June 6 NAAFS event in Ohio.

The column sparked debate, and some criticized the former Ohio State wrestler for “throwing” a fight.

A four-person commission ultimately penalized Salmon for “not fighting to the best of his ability” and “conduct detrimental to the sport,” Ohio Athletic Commission executive director Bernie Profato told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com).

The suspension is retroactive and ends June 6, 2010.

In the blog post, Salmon detailed a trodden mental state, and a waning personal life and marriage, heading into the fight. He also discussed a warning from his short-term employers at the U.K.-based Wolfslair gym that Salmon would be fired if he suffered a cut or injury in his fight since he’d no longer be able to train the team’s other fighters.

“He went for an armbar, I defended it (only to prove to myself that he couldn’t get it), and then I put my arm back in to give him the win so that I could return to England, healthy,” Salmon wrote about the fight. “Just so you all know, that is the most embarrassing thing that I have ever admitted out loud.”

Profato said he was disappointed that the “England excuse” wasn’t mentioned in future columns and questioned the sincerity of the excuse.

Regardless, Salmon departed for the Fight Festival bout in Helsinki, which was booked prior to the commission meeting, soon after his Oct. 14 hearing. Although suspensions in the U.S. are usually upheld by commissions nationwide, many overseas promoters don’t honor them.

Profato said Salmon never informed him or the commission members of the fight, which he compared to “kicking sand in the commission’s face.”

“To me, it’s like showing the MMA world he has no remorse for what he’s done,” Profato said. “It’s like being found guilty of a bank robbery and then robbing the 7-11 down the street. It’s almost the same thing.”

Salmon said he’s since spoken to Profato about the situation and explained that he meant no disrespect. In fact, he said, he thought he had the commission’s blessing to compete overseas.

“I told him that the only reason I had that fight set up before hand was because he had told me the worst that could happen to me was an administration suspension and I would be allowed to fight elsewhere with no further consequences,” Salmon said.

Salmon said he also agreed with Profato that he would send a letter to the commission every few months “explaining the actions I am taking to return integrity to myself and the sport,” Salmon said.

Salmon said he’ll look for the silver lining in the situation.

“Although I do disagree with the suspension and the fine, I plan on using this setback as I have tried to anyother setback in my career: to analyze it, find anything positive I can take from it, and make the neccasary changes to assure that nothing like this happens again,” Salmon said. “I made a mistake and came into a fight mentally unprepared. My opponent came completely prepared mentally and physically and won the fight.

“I am going to make sure from now on that I come to every fight prepared in every possible way and fight with everything I have inside me.”

Salmon (17-8), a Milwaukee native and accomplished amateur wrestler, turned pro in November 2005 and made his UFC debut just 14 months later. Following losses to Rashad Evans and Alan Belcher, he was cut from the organization and has since competed in a variety of organizations, including Strikeforce and Ring of Combat. He began writing for MMAjunkie.com during his UFC stint and blogs about the ups and downs of being a professional fighter.

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